Unstoppable
by mikka18
Summary: Sequal : "Wesley shows up on Buffy's doorstep with an infant Connor. Struggling to balance her duties as the Slayer, as well as raising Connor and Dawn, help arrives in the unexpected form of a bleached blonde vampire." Placed 6 years after Life After You
1. Prologue

Title: Unstoppable

Disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual :( They alll belong to the brilliant Joss !

AN: sooo, here I am :) lol. I'm off on my Xmas break from Uni, & decided that bringing this back to a sequel might just work :) It will only be a short one - probably 15 chapters at the most, but since I got such kind reviews & feedback on the original, I thought what the heck? :) I hope some of you who enjoyed the first are still around to enjoy this :) This sequel is my idea, no plan from BellaVision (who created the original plot), although I will get the okay from her before I post, & if she has some ideas/requests for the story, I will do my best to add them in :)

I'm guilty of not being as up to date on my Buffyverse as I used to be - so I am guessing that in season 6, when the story first started, Buffy was around 22 years old. Since this takes place 10 years after the fact (if you count the 3 year time skip), she'll be 32, Connor is 10 & Dawn is 24 - just to clarify :) Feel free to correct me if I'm way off on Buffy & Dawn's ages, & if you have a problem with it - if not, enjoy!

~.~.~

_Keep on believing don't give in,_

_It'll come and make you whole again._

_It always will, it always does,_

_Love is unstoppable._

~.~.~

6 years later...

~.~.~

Her face had changed over the years - while it still held the unmistakenable beauty & delicate features, it had grown, just like she had. There was no more youth in her eyes, although she didn't see that as a bad thing. Over the course of ten years, a lot had changed. She was no longer a young Slayer, but instead a record-breaking "elder" Slayer.

Buffy Summers took great pride in her accomplishments. Now a business woman, she handled herself maturely - there was need to, considering she ran _three_ self defense studios in _three_ different locations. Her focus was mainly on women, trying her best to instill a good sense of confidence in their ability to protect themselves from outside predators. Sure, she may have had an advantage over her clients - none of them came to her _knowing_ she was gifted, but she didn't think it mattered. Her training was efficient, certified and greatly helpful.

Not only had _she_ changed, but the people around her had to. Connor, Angel's son who she had been caring for since birth, was now ten years old. Although he had stayed in Sunnydale with Buffy, he visited routinely with his father in LA - and he knew the _truth_ about who they were. Sometimes that worried her, the world was afterall a dangerous place - but it had seemed like the best decision for him.

Dawn was now twenty-four years old, and had moved to Maine after graduating from university with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. She had married David, and the two had a beautiful little boy together, Leo. She was happy, and comfortable - and Buffy was nothing but proud.

Finally, there was _Spike_. Well, he hadn't changed much - vampires rarely did. However, one thing had entered their lives that would change a great amount of things between them - the Gem of Amara. Surprisingly, Giles had uncovered it a few years back, and after much deliberation, had decided to give it to Spike and Buffy as an anniversary present. It had been a large help in raising Connor, it made things easier for them to be together as a family - sunday picnics, afternoon soccer games, morning appointments, and just _being_.

To say the least, they were _all _happy.

"Hey Mom?"

Buffy pulled away from her spot at the punching bag that hung in the basement of their house. She grabbed a towel from a nearby chair and wrapped it around her neck as Connor made his way down the stairs.

Buffy smiled, she would _never_ tire of him calling her that. "Yes honey?"

"Do you know where Spike is?" he asked, fooling with the dumbbells that rested in the corner.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's probably not that far - I know he needed to restock his fridge, he'll be back soon. Can I help?"

"It's kind of a guy thing... can you let him know I'm looking for him?"

"Of course," she said, turning back to the bag, then paused. "Don't forget you have your dentist appointment tomorrow - 10:30 sharp."

Connor rolled his eyes. "How could I forget? You've told me about a million times already."

"Is it so wrong for me to be concerned about your dental health?"

He laughed. "I'll be up in my room."

"Okay Connor, I'm almost finished up here - how about after we get some of that dirty laundry washed? It's probably growing fungus and everything," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah, okay. Oh, and I was talking to Dad today, he wanted to know if it'd be alright for me to go down there for March Break?"

She nodded with a soft smile. "If that's what you want, it's fine with me."

"Thanks Mom," he said, before turning and heading back upstairs.

Buffy smiled to herself as she watched him leave. He might not have been her son by blood, but he was her _everything_ by heart.

~.~.~

The familiar tingle that only _he_ gave her, ran through her body, followed by the scent of cigarettes and cologne. No matter how many times she had seen him in the ten years they had been together, he never failed to give her butterflies just by being near. There was something between them, an undeniable connection that consisted of a mix of emotions - hate, love, lust, desire, compassion, and _so_ much more. It had been confusing, and it continued to be, but there was _one_ thing she was certain of - and that was she wouldn't want to be with anyone else.

"'oney, 'm 'ome," Spike called as he stepped inside the back door, placing a large paper bag down on the island.

Buffy appeared in the kitchen doorway, leaning against it. "I missed you."

"I missed you Slayer," he said, moving towards her. He stopped inches away, leaning down to kiss her softly.

"Connor's looking for you," she said, smiling up at him.

"Did he say wha' he needed?"

Buffy shook her head. "But apparently it's a guy thing - no mom help allowed."

He laughed. "An' he wanted my help? Not Peaches?"

"Does that surprise you? He's been asking _you_ for help with things for _ten_ years."

He smirked. "No, guess not - bu' it never gets old."

She slapped his arm playfully. "You're awful."

"An' you love me for it," he teased, kissing her forehead.

"Once you're done up there, come find me."

"Are we playin' a game now?"

"No, I didn't mean _that_ - just, come find me."

"'lright then - 'll find you."

~.~.~

An hour later, Spike found Buffy in the living room, flipping through the channels of the television carelessly, looking uninterested as she did so. He smiled over at her as he moved to sit beside her. Even after ten years of living with the Slayer herself, just _looking_ at her wa something he had never tired of. She was the most amazing sight, a beauty that he treasured more than the Gem on his finger.

"Well, tha's no fun - you're 'pposed to make it 'arder than tha'," he said.

She smiled over at him. "Boring old Buffy, I know. What did he need?"

"'fraid I can't disclose tha' information - 's between a boy an' 'is... 'is..."

"His Spike."

He smiled. "'ppose you're right... so, remind me 'gain why I was findin' you? 'cause if you aren't gonna start talkin', 'm a start _somethin'_."

"Angel," she said simply, and he laughed.

"Well, if you don't know 'ow to put a damper on a bloke's mood. Wha's the poof want this time?"

"Back-up."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "You best not be sayin' wha' I think you're sayin'."

"Spike, I've gone down to LA at least a dozen times in the last six years to help him out - and _every_ time we have this same conversation. When are you going to trust me?"

"Oh I trust _you_, 's 'im I don't bloody well trust."

"Angel is happy with who he has," she said.

"Yeah, 'cause she's _you_!"

"Me, but not... she's missing one very important thing... _you_."

He sighed as he fell back on the sofa. "Wha's the problem this time? Peaches can't 'andle a baby demon on 'is own 'gain?"

"That was one time! And no... I'm not sure of all the details, I just know it's dangerous and important."

"He 'lready 'as a Slayer, can't the ponce learn to keep 'is paws off mine?"

Buffy looked over at him, her expression close to dangerous. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that, and give you a chance to apologize."

He sighed. "'m sorry pet, 's jus'... I worry."

She smiled as she snuggled in next to him. "I know. I worry about you when I'm there - who knows _what_ sort of trouble you're getting yourself into."

"When do you leave?"

"Tonight," she said, and he sent her a look that told her everything she needed to know - he was _not_ happy. "I know, short notice, but... I need you to make sure Connor gets to his dentist appointment tomorrow - and Dawn is coming down for the weekend with David and Leo - can you get the spare room ready?"

He nodded. "'course. 'ow long?"

"It's hard to say... I'll try and make it quick, but..."

"Yeah, I know," he mumbled.

Buffy looked up into his eyes. "Wait for me?"

He hesitated before smiling down at her. "Always."

~.~.~

AN: Okkkayy! So I'm just getting back into this, & I know you guys did NOT like the B/A action, but I'm soorrrryyy! It just seems like such a big part of this story now, & it's hard for me to ignore it :( Besides, I kind of like it - & no worries, there will be major Spuff, with minor B/A in only a FEW chapters! I swear :) Buttt, if this makes you not want to read, let me know & I will adjust my plans to something that fits your requests :) Because I want this story to be good for you guys, & if you don't like something I WILL change it :)! Sorry if this chapter was crappy, I'm just getting the feel of it again, & I hope it will get better :)


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Okay, so I like to _try_ & keep the Buffy/Spike relationship similar to the show, in the sense that they are _far_ from perfect for each other, but love each other despite... so arguments are a necessity in this fic for me :) soo, enjoy the drama :P !

& thank you for the reviews :)

~.~.~

Walking through the doors of the Hyperion Hotel always managed to send a wave of warmth through Buffy's body. Although she had never admitted it to Spike, she felt at home there - she had, afterall, grown up in LA. But there was more to it than that. Angel had made a major impact on her life, and even though she was _in_ love with Spike, she would always _love_ him.

The last time she had been there had been five weeks ago - Angel and PBuffy had needed her help to defeat a demon that was terrorizing young children in local elementary schools. Give the circumstances, Buffy hadn't thought twice.

Opening the main doors to the hotel, Buffy stepped in and found herself quickly taken into a small pair of arms - PBuffy.

"You don't know how good it is to see you," PBuffy said. "Everything has just... spun out of control. We thought things were handled, but..."

"I understand - and it's good to see you too. How is he?" Buffy asked as she followed her down the stairs to the lobby.

"Stressed... angry... the demon we're trying to kill managed to... _kill_ one of our own. Anthony, he was here for two years, do you rem-..."

Buffy nodded, interrupting her. "I remember him. I'm sorry... where is he?"

"In his office, he's been waiting for you."

PBuffy reached out and took her into another hug, before letting her go to see Angel. Buffy paused in the doorway of his office and waited for him to acknowledge here before entering.

Immediately, Angel stood and walked over to her, taking her into a soft hug. "Buffy..."

"Hi Angel. She told me what happened... I'm _so_ sorry."

"Thank you. He was a good man, he didn't deserve it."

"No one ever does."

He nodded. "I guess you're right."

"Connor told me about March Break," she said, changing the subject to something lighter. "And I think it's a great idea... once this is cleared up, of course."

"Of course."

Buffy smiled. "So, I'm here for you to use," she said, then frowned when he sent her a playful look. "In a business way, obviously."

"Obviously," he said, and they shared a quick smile. "There's a few people you should meet - we've hired more since you were last here. All qualified, but none quite as good as you."

"Well, after sixteen years of slaying, I'd hope not. But, that's nothing compared to your two-hundred and some. Say, how old _are_ you now?"

"That is not why you're here," he said.

"Right, focusing..."

~.~.~

Spike walked into the Summers' house after a night of patrol - he had dusted two vamps, not including the one who had managed to sneak off on him. Too say he was glad about having something to kill was an understatement - every time he drove a nice and pointy stake through someone's heart and watched as they exploded to nothing but dust, he imagined it being Angel.

He knew that Dawn and her husband, along with their baby, were going to be staying at the house for a few days, and he had no problem with it. It was nice to have Dawn around after all the time they spent apart - he missed the girl more than he liked to admit.

"Hey Spike, how was patrol?" Dawn asked as he entered the living room where she was sitting with David.

"Was normal," he answered. "'eard you two laughin' half way down the street - wha's so funny?"

"Oh, we were just reminicing about the good ol' days - like, when you said that you were going to _kill_ David," Dawn said with a smile.

Spike smirked. "Who said I wasn't?"

"Don't play tough - you like him and you know it."

"I like _you_, and your bit in there, _not_ 'im," he corrected, glaring over at David. "An' don't you forget tha', you 'ear me mate?"

David nodded. "Spike, he's known you were a vampire for four years now, if he was scared of you, don't you think he'd be halfway around the world by now?" Dawn defended.

Spike laughed. "Jus' 'cause he stuck 'round doesn't mean he's not shittin' 'is pants right 'bout now."

David looked up, but made sure not to make eye-contact with Spike. "I wouldn't say _scared_, more like impressed. You've got that Gem now, and you're pretty much invincible."

"Damn right I am, not like you could lay a 'and on me without it."

"Okay, enough with the threatening attitude much? Or should I fill David in on our nai-..."

"'lright, well, look at the time - man's got things to do, y'know? Rooms all ready for you, an' fridge is nice an' stocked so 'elp yourselves," Spike interrupted, quickly leaving the room before Dawn was given a chance to continue.

~.~.~

After Spike's _pleasant_ conversation with Dawn and David downstairs, he made his usual nightly check in on Connor. The ten year old was sitting on his bed, flipping through his school books as he wrote notes on paper simutaneously. That was one thing he hadn't learned from them - studying.

"Oh, hey," Connor said once he noticed Spike in the doorway. "Do you have a minute?"

Spike nodded as he moved to sit beside him on the bed. "'course. This 'bout tha' girl 'gain?"

"Yeah... I just don't know how to talk to her... everytime she comes around me I get all..."

"Scared? 's 'lright to 'dmit it - y'know when I met your Mum, long time 'go now, I was bloody well scared out o' my mind."

Connor looked over at him. "You tried to kill her."

Spike laughed. "Well, 'course I did - 'm a vampire, Mum's a Slayer - 's natural."

"_Natural_?"

"Thought we were talkin' 'bout you 'ere, eh? Gettin' back to the subject, you're gonna be scared - tha's never gonna change neither, so you best get used to it, 'ear me? Now, tha's not to say you can't control it, or better yet, _enjoy_ it. All you 'ave to do is be proud o' who you are, an' tell her-... wha'?" he asked, noticing the look Connor was giving him.

"I didn't understand a _word_ you just said."

Spike smiled. "Let me try some proper American then, shall I? Talk. To. The. Girl. Eventually. Things. Will. Get. Better... understood?" he asked, and Connor simply laughed. "Fine then, if you're gonna make fun, why don't you jus' call your Da' up an' ask 'im for advice?"

Connor frowned. "Because you're my Dad too."

Spike felt as if his heart might start beating - of course, he knew that he was more than just a random person in Connor's life, but to hear him _say_ that he _was_ a Dad to him was something that no one could take away - not even Angel. For a brief moment, he felt a sort of understanding towards his grand-sire - _but_ it quickly disappeared.

"'lright then. So, tell me more 'bout this girl."

~.~.~

Later that night, Buffy went out on a patrol with PBuffy and one of their newest recruits, Alicia. She was tall, slender and a brunette - she reminded Buffy a lot of Faith, someone she hadn't thought of in years.

"So, you're a Slayer, huh?" Alicia asked, glancing over at Buffy as they walked.

"Yes..."

"And you're Buffy... another version of her?"

"Well, technically, _she's_ another version of me - but I guess so."

"So, you were with Angel, but now you're with his long time rival?"

"You could put it that way..."

"And you're raising Angel's biological son with him, right?"

Buffy looked over to PBuffy. "If you don't shut her up, _I_ will."

PBuffy nodded. "Alicia, why don't you run ahead and scan the tombs, we'll catch up in a minute - and if you run into anything, _scream_."

"Gotcha," Alicia said with a nod before running into the distance.

"She's, uh, inquisitve," Buffy said.

"She's better at fighting than she is at social interaction. How is Spike?"

Buffy laughed. "Oh, he's Spike."

"I can imagine. It's funny, isn't it? I was so dead set against you and him back then... I thought... well, _ew_. But now, I've _seen_ how much he loves you, and how much _you_ love him, and I just... I'm glad you two have each other."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"And Connor?"

"He's doing great - top grades in his class, and of course basketball."

"I never really understand the whole basketball craze - I mean, it's a ball and a basket... what is _so_ exciting about that? Now, slaying vampires is something that gets your adrenaline pumping, not-..."

She was interrupted a scream that pierced the night - _Alicia_. The two Slayers took off in a hurry to where the sound originated, both hoping they would make it there in time - both knowing they might _not_.

As Alicia came into view, Buffy noticed the large demon that was towering over her - it had matched Angel's description perfectly. Without hesitation, she sprinted over, throwing a solid punch that landed on the side of his jaw, sending him tumbling backwards. PBuffy moved to help Alicia to her feet, and once she was safely to the side, returned to help Buffy.

The two fought as one, knowing just when the other would strike, and how best to go about their next attack - they were the perfect team. Two long living Slayers with the knowledge of each other's fighting skills and style because they _were_ each other.

PBuffy fell first, then shortly after, Buffy landed beside her on the cold ground. They both looked up to find the demon nowhere in sight.

"Should we follow him?" PBuffy asked as they stood.

Buffy shook her head as her gaze travelled to Alicia who was resting against a brick wall, her hand clutching her stomach. "It looks like she lost a lot of blood, we should get her to the hospital."

PBuffy nodded as she gently took hold of one of Alicia's arms to support her.

~.~.~

"Spike, please," Buffy said as she held an ice-pack to her forehead with one hand, the phone with her other. The demon had managed to smack her around a bit more than she would have liked, and as a result of that she had a not so beautiful lump forming on her face. She was in no mood to argue with Spike.

"Thought you said it'd be a quick trip - easy slay and go type thing."

"Yeah, well, things change. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can, it's just-..."

"Jus' nothin' Slayer - 'm tired of all this, seems like Peaches comes first nowadays, this is the bloody well fifth trip you've made down there in 'bout five months."

"Spike... it isn't like that. Angel needed my help, and I couldn't just let him fight some demon that-..."

"Could kill 'im? Yeah, you could. Peaches knows wha' the business is all 'bout. If he wasn't 'ble to 'andle the fightin' an' possible death tha' came with it, he should've bloody well kept to 'imself 'stead of goin' on with this 'holier than thou' life."

"You're seriously criticizing him for _helping_ people? Not all vampires are like you Spike, some think about things other than blood and sex. Oh, I forgot to throw in a kitten poker, didn't I? Angel is a good man, and he has had my back when I needed him... I don't expect you to understand," she said.

Spike laughed. "He's 'ad your back? Is tha' so? Well then, I 'ppose there isn't much point in me stickin' 'round, eh? Considerin' all I think 'bout is blood anyway, might start takin' bites out o' Bit or Cnnor. You know wha' Slayer? You are right 'bout somethin' - I _don't_ understand, nor do I _want_ to. Far as I see, you an' Peaches 'ave this thing tha' even I can't come between. An' for 's long 's we been together, I 'aven't _tried_ to. Bu' a vamp can only take so much, 'specially when 's soddin' _Angelus_ we're talkin' 'bout. Do you know wha' tha' wanker 'as put me though?"

"Oh here we go, Spike pity party time. I _know_ what he put you through, I just don't _care_," she said, then sighed. "I don't want to fight."

"Like 'ell you don't. Always defendin' 'im, always takin' 'is side when it comes time to choose."

"_His_ side? Spike, I'm with _you_! I think that's about as far from Angel's side as a person can get, especially _me_."

Spike laughed. "Are you really with me Slayer? 'cause I don't 'appen to see you 'round anywhere."

"Does it matter where _I_ am? It should only matter where my _heart_ is."

"Well tell me luv, _where _is it?"

"Right now, it's not with you," she said before hanging up the phone.

She turned to find Angel standing behind her, a look of guilt on his face for eavesdropping.

"Oh, uh, hi... that was just..."

"Spike, yeah, I got that. Buffy, if you being here is a problem, I understand if-..."

"The only problem with me being here is that Spike is a jealous idiot."

Angel smiled. "Still, if you need to go..."

"I'm not going anywhere until this demon is dust... or goo... or _whatever_ it does when it's killed."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Mist."

Buffy raised her eyebrow. "Mist?"

"It turns to mist when it dies."

"Oh, good to know."

~.~.~

AN: Well, that's it for chapter 2! They're first fight already, huh? Yep! lol. I love Spike drama, but no worries, they will be together soon! Let me know what you're thinking, & if Buff being in LA is overkill. I'm trying to keep the B/A limited, if you hadn't noticed, other than mild Buffy & Angel friendship. Next chapter is the last bit of B/A, then Buff will be back in SunnyD & with Spike - I just needed a reason for them to get int a fight ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry for any disappointment in the last chapter, I'll try to recover in this one :) & still, thanks for the reviews!

I also realize that there is a large update gap between the last chapter, & this one. I apologize, & hope that some are still interested despite my hiatus. I had a lot going on in life, & fanfiction sadly got pushed to the back. I'm sure you guys understand :) !

I wasn't sure if I was going to post this already or not, because I haven't yet written the next few chapters. But, I promise that I'm in a position to right more often, so I definitely will be updating regardless :) Enjoy !

~.~.~

Buffy walked over to Angel with a satisfied smile as she entered the hotel. "We got him."

Immediately, Angel's face lit up. "Are you sure?"

"I think I know my demon's by now, and even better - how they die... yeah, I'm sure," she said.

"Where is she?"

"She's coming... she wanted to do an extra patrol just to be sure nothing was left behind," Buffy said, picking up her bag that had been packed before heading out that night. "It's time for me to go."

Angel nodded. "Thank you for coming down, I know that it probably wasn't the easiest thing."

"That's an understatement, but we've survived worse," she said, stopping beside him. "I'll, uh, see you soon?"

"In two weeks, when I pick Connor up," he reminded. "March break."

She nodded. "Right... bye."

"Bye Buffy."

~.~.~

It had been a short goodbye, one that had seemed appropriate at the time. Things between Buffy and Angel were good, and she liked them that way. But there were only so many ways to say goodbye to someone, especially after such a long, and awkward, history.

Her drive home had passed quicker than she had expected, and she appreciated it. She wanted nothing more than to go home, see Connor, and resolve things between her and Spike. Their fight the night before had replayed in her mind over and over - she had been a bit harsh, but then again so had he. If anything, the pair was too much alike than different.

Pulling into the driveway, Buffy felt a sense of relief and anxiousness. Being with Spike was always an adventure - she never knew what she was about to walk into, and part of her liked it like that. What she knew for certain was that she was _never_ bored.

Opening the door, she found herself nearly running into him as he stood there, waiting. Buffy's eyes wandered, unsure if she was missing something or not, and that was then she realized what he was holding - a duffle bag.

"Where are you going?"

He smirked. "On a little trip - should be a short one, bu' who knows, eh?"

Buffy sighed. "Spike, can we talk about this later? I'm tired, and I really don't feel like fighting."

"Sure luv, you can 'ive me a call later, an' we'll argue some more once you're feelin' up to it."

She rolled her eyes. "And you wonder _why_ we fight - have you heard yourself talking?"

Spike laughed. "Kind of 'ard t get a word in edge wise with you."

"You're just so-..." she said, cutting herself off with a frustrated scream.

"Well, tha' isn't surprisin'. I told the boy 'd be gone for a few days, Bit an' her group are in the guest room, so everythin's all settled for you - all you 'ave to do is breathe."

"What would I _ever_ do without you?" she asked sarcastically.

Without another word, Spike left, and once Buffy had closed the front door, she rested her back against it, letting out a groan before straightening and heading for the kitchen.

He drove her _crazy_.

~.~.~

Slaying. That was one thing that Buffy could always rely on - one thing that she _knew_ was never going to change. She would be the Slayer until the day that she died, when that would be - she didn't know. Lately, she wondered if it really was that far away. Things had been pretty easy for her, fights had seemed less complicated, and yes, while she did get herself into a difficult one every now and then, she always managed to come out hardly scathed.

Being the Slayer for so long, with so much experience behind her, she knew that it wouldn't stay that way forever. Soon enough some demon or vampire would decide that it was their time for glory, and once again, she would be facing an apocolypse - or in her experience, _attempted_.

Buffy found herself lingering in one cemetery. There were a few more that she _should_ be patrolling, however she couldn't seem to pull herself out of this one. And she knew _exactly _why - Spike. No doubt he had returned to his crypt after their stupid argument, and although she told herself that she didn't want to run into him - why else would she be walking circles around a clearly inactive cemetery?

Guilt had managed to work its way into her as she replayed the first argument they had over the phone that night while she was in LA. She knew she had been cruel, and despite the fact that she wanted to believe Spike had deserved it, she knew he hadn't. How would she feel if he was always running off to help Druscilla with her problems. Sure, it was a different situation - Angel _saved_ people, while Dru _killed_ them. Still, it was the principle.

With a heavy sigh, Buffy decided to push away the pride that was blocking her from apologizing to Spike, and changed her course of direction towards his crypt. It had been _two_ days since he left, and she hadn't seen or heard from him since then. Of course, she _had_ felt him, but that was hardly an apology from his side. He only wanted to make sure that they were safe, nothing more. Spike was as stubborn as her, and she knew that the way he was feeling, he would not be first to apologize.

There was something about his crypt that had always given her a sense of comfort and anxiety. It had been a long time since he had lived there - but the two had made frequent visits while on patrol, in order to keep the place "alive", as Spike had said. Funny, since it was the place of death.

"Spike?" she called out as she stepped carefully down the steps leading inside. She glanced around the upper level - there was no one around. There were few signs that Spike had been there, but not many. She knew in her heart that he hadn't sat there consistantly for the last two days - he had no doubt been out at Willy's, or the Bronze.

"Spike? It's me..." she repeated, climbing down the ladder to the lower level. After a quick walk around, she decided he wasn't home and headed back upstairs to leave.

It was then that she noticed the blood. There wasn't a large amount, but enough to make her stomach turn. What had happened? Spike couldn't have kille-... _no_, she thought. _Spike wouldn't kill... not because of some stupid argument... would he? No... no. Something's wrong, I know it._

~.~.~

Buffy had searched everywhere she could think of that Spike might be - Willy's, the Bronze, and lastly, Clem's. The only other possibility was that he had left to check in on Connor. He had stopped by the night before, while she had been out on patrol. Connor hadn't told her, but Dawn had. She felt that her sister deserved to know.

Clem had been the most helpful. Apparently, Spike had stopped by for a few drinks the night before, but Clem hadn't seen him since. _That's normal for Spike. He'll show up one night, and then I won't see him for weeks... even months sometimes. I'm sure he's fine Buffy, don't worry_, Clem had told her, but how could she not worry?

She had found _blood_ at Spike's crypt, fresh blood. If he wasn't killing again, and he had suddenly disappeared - it only made sense to her that the blood was _his_. But who would want Spike? And... _why_?

~.~.~

"Dawn?" Buffy asked, as she knocked on the door of the guest room. Dawn appeared a few minutes later, wearing her pyjamas.

"Buffy? Wh-What's wrong?"

"Has Spike stopped by?" she asked.

"No, why?"

"If he did, it's okay... you can tell me. I just-..."

Sensing the panic in her older sister's voice, Dawn felt her own rising. "Buffy, he hasn't been by since last night when you went out... I swear. Is something wrong? Is... is he okay?"

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know Dawnie... I... can you stay with Connor?"

"Of course, yeah... I'm sure he's fine... I mean, he's Spike, right? He's probably just getting himself into trouble..." Dawn said with a smile in an attempt to reassure not only Buffy, but herself.

"You're probably right... but I want to be sure."

Dawn nodded and watched as her sister turned and left.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thank you :) I'm glad you guys are still interested! Like I said at the beginning, I don't see this story going much farther than 10-15 chapters, so I'm trying to stick some juice in there without dragging it out too much. :) Enjoy!**

~.~.~

Not knowing where else to go, Buffy found herself on the doorstep of the only two people she knew that could help her - Willow and Tara.

It was the middle of the night, maybe they were sleeping - she should have called before showing up, but she hadn't had the time, or thought. Her mind was scrambling, trying to come up with a positive solution for what had happened. _He'd spilled a blood bag; it was the blood of another vampire Spike had fought; hell, maybe he had even hurt himself_. Still, nothing sat right with her. Before Connor, she wouldn't have thought much of Spike's disappearance. But, she knew he would _never_ leave them... not now.

When Willow finally came to the door, Buffy didn't hesitate before stepping inside. "Spike's gone," she said.

"Gone? As in... he left?" Willow asked, slightly confused.

"No... he wouldn't _leave_."

"So... you think he might have been _taken_?"

Buffy sighed. "I don't know Will, it doesn't make any sense... What would someone want with Spike? I just... I have a bad feeling about this."

"He has the Gem of Amara, he can't-..."

"No... he left it at the house." When he had gone two nights before, he had left the gem on the dining room table with a note, _since this is a part of what we had, don't feel right taking it with me... keep it safe_.

"Oh... Oh! I could try a locator spell. I don't have the ingredients here, we'll have to head to the Magic Box."

Buffy nodded, noticing Tara appear beside Willow. "D-Do you want us to call Xander and Anya?" she asked, having heard their conversation from down the hall.

"No, there's nothing they can do right now. It's the middle of the night, and-... I'm sorry... I should've called, or-..." Buffy apologized. She hadn't realized just _what_ she had been doing, only that she needed to find Spike. Disrupting her friends' sleep hadn't even occured to her, she knew that they would always be there.

"Buffy, it's fine. We _want_ to help... Spike has become-... Well, we care about him. And, if you have a gut feeling that something's up, then something is definitely up," Willow reassured as she gently touched Buffy's arm. "We'll find him."

~.~.~

The Magic Box hadn't changed much over the past years, aside from added inventory and several renovations done to the front of the building due to damages caused from demons, vampires, and the lot.

It still never failed to give Buffy a sense of home and comfort. Most important to her, it reminded her of Giles. Her former watcher had left Sunnydale three years ago to return to England. It had been one of the hardest times in Buffy's life - she was not only saying goodbye to a man who taught her everything she knew about slaying, but also a man that she saw as a father, in lack of her biological's presence.

Willow and Tara had been gathering, sorting, and reading for ten minutes, yet it had felt like hours to Buffy. She had tried her best to stay out of their way, wandering aimlessly around the store. She could have taken the time to train, but her mind and heart weren't in the right place. All she could do was worry - and _wait_.

"Buffy," Willow called, and the Slayer immediately dropped the books she was mindlessly scanning and rushed to her friend. "He's... here."

"_Here_? How?... I... I checked _everywhere_."

"Well, I mean he's here, in _Sunnydale_, that doesn't necessarily mean he's-..."

"In sight, or... or above ground," Tara finished, with a hopeful smile.

"Can you see where he is... _exactly_?"

Willow nodded. "It's a little foggy, but... it looks like he's below the..."

"The _what_?" Buffy proded when Willow paused.

"The Bronze... I can't be sure Buffy, but-..." Willow started, but stopped herself when she realized Buffy was no longer listening - she had already left.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Tara asked, glancing over at Willow, who nodded in response. "Sh-Should we follow her?"

~.~.~

The atmosphere of the Bronze after closing was entirely different from that when it was open. It had an eerie feeling, one that sent a shiver through Buffy's body. The place had yet to be cleaned, that never happened until early morning, long before it opened - the aftermath of earlier that night still lingered in the building.

The lock on the back door had been easy enough to break, and while Buffy had no idea _where_ she was going, she forced herself to put all of her emotions aside and think only as the Slayer - allow her instincts to take over and guide her.

Her stomach was turning at the thought of what she might find. She had no idea what kind of condition Spike would be in, if he would even still be _alive_. She also knew there was a possibility that this was a trap - set up to lure _her_ in. She had made many enemies in her years as the Slayer, and she knew there were others she hadn't met that would go to any length to capture her. Whoever this was knowing her only weakness, _him_, made her feel less confident - but she knew that she couldn't rely on assumptions. It could very well be Spike that they wanted.

A few minutes later, she found herself in a tunnel underneath the club. It was dark and damp, and the smell was almost unbearable. However, she hardly noticed any of that, all she could see in her mind was Spike.

The tunnel led out to an open space - and in the middle, she saw him. He was tied up, and from what she could tell, badly beaten. Seeing him in the state he was she felt her guard drop and immediately, she ran for him. All she wanted was to get him out of there.

She was half way to him when she heard him yell, "Buffy, run!"

Ignoring his warning, she continued. She was so close to him when she felt a painful surge of energy hit her from behind. She fell to her knees in pain, gasping as her chest tightened making it painful to breathe.

Buffy struggled, but to no avail. The more she tried to free herself, the more intense the pain became. She managed to turn in order to see just _who_ her attacker was - a large red demon who wore a cloak that reminded Buffy of ancient times. In his palm was the source of her pain, a small ball of blue energy crackled above it, pointed directly at her.

He smiled down at her. "Slayer, so nice to finally meet you."

"What... do.. you... want?" she managed to get out, despite the pain in her chest.

"Isn't it obvious? - I want _you_. Why else do you think I grabbed the vampire? You should know better than anyone that he has _nothing_ to offer," he spat, glancing over at Spike in disgust.

Buffy narrowed her gaze. "I beg... to differ," she said, then looked up at Spike who locked eyes with her. She could see the pain in his blue eyes, but not for himself - for _her_.

"I told you to run pet, do you ever listen?"

Buffy smiled softly, ignoring the pain. "To you?... Of... course not."

"Quite odd, isn't it?" the demon interrupted. "A Slayer in love with a vampire... In all my years, I never thought to see such a thing."

"What... do... you want?" Buffy repeated.

He laughed. "Do you know what the most valuable part of a Slayer is?"

"You will... soon enough."

"No, my dear... it is not _that_. The true uniqueness of a Slayer is her energy... what lives inside of that tiny little form of yours. It's what makes your strength - it is what makes _you_. I bet you can understand why such a thing would be _so_ important to a demon of my nature," he said, and Buffy simply glared. "Fine then, I'll tell you. I am a Kaji demon. I _live_ and _thrive_ off of energy. As do most beings, however, I take _pleasure_ in gathering more. The more energy a Kaji demon gathers, the more powerful he becomes - the more _invincible_. I, myself, am already quite close to fulfilling that - what I bet you _can_ guess, is why I am _so_ interested in yours."

"If it's... me... you want... let him... go."

"Such a true heroine, aren't you Slayer? Always thinking of others before yourself - even a lowlife vampire. That, my dear, is the very existance of your weakness. I have been around for _many_ years, and while I've collected the energy of _four_ Slayers before you, I have never come across one that was willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of another. They all begged and pleaded to be spared... you don't seem the type," he claimed as his yellow eyes scanned her body. "I am going to enjoy sucking the life out of you."

"If you're... as strong as... you say... you... are... let me go... and face me... demon... to Slayer..." Buffy didn't know if she _could_ kill him, but as long as she as could get him to let her go, she at least stood a chance - and that meant Spike did too.

To her surprise, the demon released his hold on her, and allowed her to stagger to her feet as she attempted to regain her balance.

"If you're so foolish to believe that all of my strength lies in one area, you are not the Slayer I had hoped you would be," he taunted.

"I might only be one Slayer... and you might be one... _big_ demon with crackly hands - _but_ I'm still going to kill you... _you_ can bet on that," Buffy snarled.

She lunged, attempting to punch his jaw, but felt herself being pushed back almost immediately. Had his arms always been that long? Recovering, she glanced back at Spike, as if to gather strength from his eyes, and rushed the demon with a combination of kicks and punches. Even the few she had landed had seemed to hardly phase him. She could already sense that this was going nowhere, yet was far from giving in.

She stood tall as he walked towards her, preparing herself for an attack. However, before he reached her, he turned, his gaze distracted. Buffy followed him, noticing two people standing by the entrance - Willow and Tara.

Willow's eyes were closed as she chanted something that Buffy couldn't make out from the distance, but she watched silently as an invisible force struck the demon, knocking him off of his feet.

"Willow, get out of here!" Buffy yelled, but her friend stood still defiantly.

"His chest, Buffy, his energy - it's stored in his chest!"

Well, that was helpful. Now all Buffy had to do was _get_ to it. She glanced once more up towards Willow and Tara before lunging herself at the demon who was still recovering from the hit. She moved with new speed, knowing now that it was not only her and Spike in danger, but her two closest friends as well. If she failed in killing this demon, she would fail them - Willow was a strong witch, but she would be no match for him, Buffy had felt the strength in his magic, and it was stronger than all of them put together. But, that didn't mean she couldn't beat him - _her _way.

While Buffy attacked him with her fists, Willow tried her best to lower his strength through spells, and although it didn't seem to do much, it helped distract him enough for Buffy to be able to hurt him.

A few minutes later, Buffy saw what could be her only chance to destroy the demon. She moved quickly, pulling a knife from the pocket of her jacket - one that Spike had given to her a couple years ago for her birthday - and plunged it deep into the center of his chest. He stumbled back, surprise written on his face as well as anger.

The group watched as the demon fell to the ground, clutching his chest. If not for the grim mood, Buffy thought the sight had the possibility to be _pretty_ - there was a number of colours escaping through the hole she had left, mixing together as they swirled into the air, then they disappeared suddenly.

Buffy walked over to where the demon lay still, kneeling down beside him.

"How about that for Slayer uniqueness?"

He let out a low growl, then laughed softly. "You are strong, that is no doubt. But without the aid of your friends, I would have had you... A Slayer is supposed to fight alone."

Buffy shrugged. "Why can I say? I've never been much of a loner type." She waited until his yellow eyes had finally closed before standing and turning to face Willow. "You've been spending too much time around me... you're getting braver."

"I don't know about braver," Willow said with a smile. "But when my friend is in danger, I can fake it pretty well."

"I couldn't have done it without you Will."

"Yes, you could..."

"Buffy."

She heard his voice from behind, and immediately turned and fell into his arms. "Spike... are you okay?"

He smirked as he gently ran his hand through her hair. "Better now."

"We should get you somewhere safe... where you can rest," she said, then looked to Willow. "Xander's is closer, do you think he would mind if we busted in all bruised and bloody?"

"I think he's used to that by now."

As Buffy helped Spike towards the tunnel, Tara turned to Willow as they walked slowly behind the couple.

"D-Did you-..." Tara began, but Willow had already known what she was about to ask.

"Notice? Yeah, I... I did."

"Should we tell them? I-I don't know much about it, b-but I think they should know..."

Willow nodded. "We'll tell them... but, they should rest first. Tomorrow, we should do some research tonight, make sure that we're absolutely sure before we say anything. Whatever happened to Spike before we got here was _not_ good..."

~.~.~

**AN: Sooo, this is me trying to be plotty :) Haha. I am really bad at demon plots, so bare with me, & if you think it's dumb, I'll drop it!**

**Reviews are always nice :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thanks for the review :)**

~.~.~

_Well, not quite an apocolypse... but painful enough to feel like one_, Buffy thought as her and Spike snuggled together on the sofa in Xander's living room. Snuggling may have not been the _appropriate _term - it was more like trying to avoid each other's bumps and bruises while still staying close. Oddly, it was something they were more accustomed to than just normal _snuggling_. Being in the business they were, there had always been rarely a night that _one_ of them wasn't in some type of pain.

After leaving the Bronze and arriving at Xander's, Buffy and Spike tended to each other's superficial wounds before finally settling in for the night. The sofa wasn't the most conveniant location for the couple, but it was better than having to return home and explain their battered bodies to Connor. Yes, he had gotten used to seeing them with minor injuries, but tonight had been different - it hadn't just been Buffy's _body_ that had been damaged, her _mind_ had too. Tonight would be recovery night for the both of them.

Lying in Spike's arms, Buffy came to the realization that she hadn't yet been able to do what she had originally set out to do that night - _apologize_. While she was sure there had been a mutual apology, Buffy had still wanted to verbalize it.

She turned in Spike's arms to look up into his eyes, he smiled down at her warmly.

"I was wrong... about Angel, about _all_ of it..." she started.

"Yea', you were," he replied, and Buffy sent him a glare in warning. "Bu' I gave you reason to be mad luv. I shouldn't 'ave overreacted the way I did. An' when I felt like I was 'bout to lose you, I..."

"You didn't think I could take him?" she asked, a hint of humor in her tone.

"Tha's not wha' I said."

"Well, tha's wha' you implied."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Here I am, tryin' to 'pologize for somethin', an' you go makin' me the bad guy 'gain."

Buffy smirked. "But, I _like_ bad guys."

He didn't laugh, or return the smirk, instead his expression turned serious. "You should've run, left me to burn to a crisp, or wha'ever else tha' demon was plannin' on doin'. Puttin' yourself in danger to save a vamp like me was a stupid mistake on your part Slayer, he _was_ right 'bout tha'..."

"Spike... if you think that I'm going to leave the man I _love_ to die because of _me_, you're an idiot."

"An', if you think I'd rather 'ave my girl be sucked lifeless tryin' to save me, _you're_ an idiot."

She smiled up at him and closed her eyes as his lips approached hers, touching them in a soft kiss. Time had no effect on the way his kiss had made her feel - after all of the years they had been together, after the many times they had been intimate - it had _never_ gotten dull, the fire had never died.

"Hey, hey... _not_ on my couch... _please_," Xander begged as he appeared in the doorway.

"It's not like _we_ haven't-..." Anya began, stopping beside him, but her sentence ended early after noticing the unpleased expression on Xander's face.

"Xander, it's been _ten_ years... you act like you just found out yesterday," Buffy said.

"Yeah, well... can you blame me? It's not like Spikey here just _grows_ on a person."

"He grew on me," Anya said.

"Ahn!" Xander yelled, his voice laced with disgust.

"What? He did..." she finished.

Spike smirked over at Xander who stood fuming for a few minutes before leaving, Anya sending Spike a peppy wave before following behind him.

"I like 'er."

"Not too much, I hope."

"Now now Slayer, you know I only 'ave eyes for you," he said before leaning in for another kiss.

~.~.~

Meanwhile, in the spare room located at the back of Xander and Anya's house, Willow and Tara sat, scanning the internet and dozens of magic books that lay open on the bed before them.

"What do you think it means?" Tara asked softly, watching as Willow puzzled over something silently.

She let out a heavy sigh before answering. "I'm not sure yet... but, from what I can tell, it looks like Spike was... _poisioned_."

"B-But how?"

Willow shook her head in frustration. "Kaji demons are rare, as in there's only been _two_ sightings in, well, as far back as these books date. It seems like they don't mate, they don't reproduce - they just..."

"Kill," Tara finished, and Willow nodded. "Is there any way to reverse it?"

"I hope so, but we won't know until we can find more about the demon... I have to call Giles, there must be more information in the Watcher's Council library, maybe he can find something useful."

Tara nodded. "And we'll tell them... _tomorrow_."

"They deserve to know."

~.~.~

The next morning, Willow had awoken early - from what little sleep she had actually gotten that night. She had been unwilling to allow herself a break from research, convinced she may have missed vital information or in hopes that she would stumble upon some.

Giles had returned her phone call only a short hour ago, and to her surprise he _had_ found something - the antidote to the poision. It had only been used a few times prior, and they had all been a while back - hundreds of years. But, the only thing that had mattered to Willow was that it was effective, which according to his research, it had been. Of course, the antidote had been used on humans, _not _vampires, and there was nothing to say that it would work for Spike.

In the end, they had no other choice, and Willow knew that once they heard the news, Buffy and Spike would want to take whatever measures, regardless of whether or not it would fail.

Gathering the courage to _tell_ them had been hard, but with Tara by her side, she had managed to do it. Just after sunrise, the wiccas headed out of the back room to the living room where the unexpecting couple waited.

They stopped in the doorway, waiting for acknowledgement before stepping in. Buffy glanced over and smiled.

"Mornin'," she said. "You guys are up early."

"You know us, early birds," Willow said nervously. "We need to talk." Spike looked up as if that was his cue, but Willow dismissed him with a shake of her head. "To both of you."

Buffy's smile immediately disappeared, replaced by a frown. "What's wrong?"

Willow hesitated, and felt Tara squeeze her hand softly in support. "Spike."

He cocked his head. "What do you mean 'm _wrong_?"

"Are you feeling anything? Weak, delusional, anything out of the ordinary?" Tara asked.

"Well, yea' - bu' comin' out of a night like tha', 'd be worried if I wasn't," he answered, slightly annoyed, yet clearly worried about where they were taking it.

"Me and Tara, we..." she started, but paused.

"Just say it Willow, whatever it is, we can handle it," Buffy said bravely.

Willow nodded, then let out a sigh before continuing. "We think... we _know_... Spike was poisioned... with magic. From what I can tell-..."

"Poisioned? Bloody _poisioned_? Are you sure this isn't just some magical mistake on your part Red?" Spike asked, standing, Buffy quickly at his side.

Willow's gaze fell to the floor as she shook her head. "No... I'm sorry."

Tara looked over at Buffy and saw that she was beginning to panic - on the inside. "It's going to be okay... Willow can fix this."

Buffy smiled in return, but her words hadn't dismissed the worry she was feeling. "How... how long until it starts to..."

"It's hard to say, we don't really know _what_ was done, but... a few hours, a day at most, before it gets worse..."

"How did you know?" Buffy asked.

"We could feel it, last night wh-when I untied him, I... and Willow too."

"I called Giles," Willow said, unsure if she was trying to provide Buffy a sense of comfort, or reassure herself that she had done all she could.

For a second, Buffy's face appeared to light up. "Is he... coming?" she asked, but paused, and the light disappeared. "No, no that'd be stupid. He wouldn't fly half way across the world just for-..."

"_Me_?" Spike interrupted. "'s not a secret tha' the Watcher isn't my biggest fan luv, 's 'lright..."

"But, he did give me some _really_ helpful info - a recipe for an antidote that we... well, we don't know for _sure _if it will work. There isn't a lot in the books about the demon, but-..."

"Wha'ever it is, 'll drink it, snort it, _bathe_ in it - jus' get it to me," he said, and Willow could hear the desperation he was trying so hard to swallow.

She nodded. "We have to leave... the ingredients aren't all at the Magic Box... but we'll be quick - a day, maybe two."

"What can we do until then? You said that he only has a few hours, and what if he-..."

"I can mix something up that will help to subdue the effects of the poision, but it won't cure it... just, try and keep his mind off of what's happening," Willow replied, wanting nothing more than to take away her best friend's sense of panic and helplessness.

She hadn't wanted to keep any information from the two, but maybe telling them _everything_ wasn't as good as she had originally thought. It wasn't that she was withholding _a lot_ of things, she had just decided to hold back on the effects of the poision on a person's mind - she wasn't even sure if they applied to Spike afterall, since he wasn't completely human.

Willow could only hope that she would make it back in time with the antidote.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thank you! :) This chapter is comprised of mostly Buffy & Spike moments ! Just random moments of them being together. Hope you like! :)**

**Wow, I'm updating faster than I expected ^_^**

~.~.~

"Yes Dawn," Buffy said as she spoke to her sister on the phone in the kitchen. "I'll tell him what you said. - I don't know when he'll be better. - I'm fine. - Really Dawnie, I'm fine. - I know you have a lot to deal with already, but would you mind helping Connor with-..." Buffy smiled as Dawn scolded her on even _asking_ if she would. "Thank you. - I'll call you as soon as we know. - I love you too, be safe."

Hanging up the phone, Buffy took a few minutes in the kitchen to pull herself together. It had been two hours since Willow and Tara had left to find what was needed for the antidote, and although nothing _serious_ had happened to Spike so far, Buffy could see that he was deteriorating. It broke her heart - there was again, the Slayer, the one who was supposed to fix things, _especially_ of this manner, and yet she couldn't have felt more helpless.

It brought back painful memories of that night in the alley with Parker so many years ago. There were few times in her life that she had felt so completely weak, and that was one of them - _this_, another. That night Spike had been the one to bring her through the darkness, he was the one who had been strong despite the pain he was feeling for her.

She would do the same for him. She _had_ to. If Spike saw that she was falling apart just as much as _he_ was, how would he feel? She had to be strong for him, she would do whatever it would take to make him better.

Buffy left the kitchen and headed down the hallway towards the spare bedroom. Spike had put up an argument, he didn't like being treated like a sick man, even though that's what he was. It had taken a bit of effort, but after making a few subtle threats, he gave in.

Stopping in the doorway of the room, she watched as he slept. She had become used to the sight of him sleeping, the absence of his chest rising and falling, his body completely still. Smiling softly to herself, she moved to sit beside him, hoping that her presence on the bed wouldn't wake him, but knowing he had more than likely awoken the moment she appeared in the room - he always did.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as he opened his eyes to look up at her. He tried to prop his elbows to sit up, but she gently pushed him back down. "No, don't..." She watched as he nodded before resting his body back on the bed. "Spike, look at me... everything is going to be fine. Willow & Tara, they'll be back here before we know it, and then you'll be sipping the antidote and-..."

"An' wha' if they don't? ... get back in time, luv... wha' if the poision runs its course, an' I don't come out o' it... promise me tha' you'll-..."

"No... no... don't you start with the "promise me's" like you're going somewhere, because you're _not_. You're staying right here with me," she said, her voice shakey.

He nodded. "Jus' promise me _one_ thing Buffy, please."

She sighed. "What?"

"Tha' if anythin' 'appens to me, you _won't_ go runnin' to Peaches."

Buffy frowned before smacking him on his arm - then realizing the state he was in, she apologized. "Sorry... _but_ you're lying here, poisioned blood and all, and you're _still_ thinking about that... you're impossible."

"So are you Slayer, tha's why I love you so much."

~.~.~

Over the next couple of hours, Buffy had spent more time worrying over Spike than she had their entire relationship. She wasn't used to seeing him vulnerable, he had always carried an ora of strength and power. There was nothing he thought he couldn't do, and for the most part - he was right. But this, there was no way he could beat this on his own. The magic was overpowering him.

Buffy was lying beside him on the bed, her arm around his torso while his head rested on her chest. Her mind was a scramble of thoughts - was there anything _she_ could do to help him. The potions that Willow had left behind were losing their effect on the poision, and it seemed that there was nothing more to be done aside from waiting it out until her and Tara returned.

Well, maybe there was _something_.

Buffy closed her eyes as she ran an idea through her mind over and over again. It _had_ to work - even if it didn't stop the poision, it could at least slow it down... it had to do _something_.

Gently, she began to wake Spike.

"Spike, Spike wake up," she said softly as she began to sit, bringing him up with her. His eyes flashed open and he smiled over at her as she used her strength to lift his body and rest him against the wall, leaving him to sit on his own as she crawled onto his lap.

"Wha's this?" he asked, his voice dry.

"You aren't going to like this..." she started. "But you're weak, so you won't be able to do much fighting either."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Wha' are you thinkin' bout doin' pet?" Buffy sighed before pulling her sleeve back up to her elbow, revealing her bare arm. Spike glanced down at it, then back into her eyes when he realized _what_ she intending on doing. "No... no, I won't."

"There's no other way, you're... you're getting worse."

He shook his head as he swallowed hard. He _was_ starving, but he would rather die than drink from _his _Slayer. He knew himself well enough to know that if he was to start, he may not be able to stop. A Slayer's blood was like no other, it had a power all of it's own and the taste alone had the ability to make a vampire's mouth water at the mention of it.

"Buffy, luv... _please_, don't make me..." he begged. Images of Buffy lying next to him motionless, her blood drained, made him shutter.

She could see the fear in his eyes, and she knew the reason why. But her decision was final, whether he wanted to or not, he was _going_ to drink from her.

"Spike," she began, raising her hand to touch his cheek as she looked deeply into his eyes. "I trust you."

He closed his eyes and let his head fall back to rest on the wall. She had been right - he _was_ too weak to physically fight her off. And he knew her well enough to know that once she was set on something there was no stopping her.

Buffy took a deep breath before leaning over and opening the drawer of the bedside dresser. She pulled out a letter opener that looked sharp enough to cut her skin. Without hesitation she brought it to her wrist, carefully pulling it along her smooth skin, watching as her blood began to flow from the cut. Grabbing the back of Spike's head with her other hand, she forced him to bring his head forward, but he refused to open his eyes - he was not going to look at his beautiful woman as he _drank_ from her. That was one thing she could not control.

She brought her wrist up to his mouth and rubbed it gently on his lips, allowing some of her blood to trickle onto them. Spike had tried to avoid licking it, she could tell by the expression on his face. But she knew the smell would reach his nostrils, and it wouldn't be much longer after that before he tasted her.

Buffy kept her eyes on him, watching as he slowly slipped into his game face, a notable sign that the blood had reached his senses. Gently, his tongue slid from his mouth, accepting the warm liquid on his lips. Once gone, she felt his lips wrap around the cut she had made on her wrist, and as carefully as he could as to not hurt her, he began to suck.

Buffy knew that she _might_ have to be the one to pull away from him. She trusted Spike, but she also knew what her blood was to a vampire - and in the state that he was already in, his instincts for survival might take priority over everything else.

It hadn't been her first time sharing her blood - many years ago she had done the same for Angel, under similar circumstances, she supposed. But, this was different, _Spike_ was different. Angel had easily gone from soft and gentle to intense and slightly _rough_. She had been waiting for Spike to do the same, but it had never come. He had remained as gentle as he had when he had first started.

The feeling of him drinking from her was beyond explaination - there was pain, but there was also pleasure. This was something that, as a Slayer, she was trained to avoid at _all_ costs. Her instincts deep inside had told her to stop, not to go through with it - but she had ignored it. There was nothing that could have been said or done, even in her own mind, to change what she had wanted to do. Spike needed her, she was not going to let him down.

Several minutes later, Buffy could feel her head started to feel light, her body weak - she knew that he would need to stop soon or else she might lose _too_ much blood.

"Spike," she said softly, bringing her lips to his ear. "Spike..."

It had only taken a few seconds for him to stop, gently licking around her wound to ensure the bleeding had stopped before his features slipped back to human and his eyes caught hers. "Buffy, I... did I 'urt you?"

She smiled as she shook her head. "No Spike... you were perfect."

"You shouldn't 'ave done tha'," he said, turning his gaze from hers as he wiped the blood from his chin - _her_ blood. "I could've-..."

"But you didn't. Spike, you stopped before I even said the word," she reminded. "Please, don't feel like you did anything wrong - you're _mine_ as much as I'm _yours_. There is nothing I wouldn't share with you."

Spike nodded wearily, still uneasy at the thought of what _could_ have happened. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down into him as he gently stroked her back. "You need to rest luv, you lost a lot of..."

Buffy turned her head to look up at him, lifting herself up enough to plant a small kiss on his lips. "_We_ need to rest. So stop talking and start sleeping..."

~.~.~

When Buffy began to wake up later that night, she opened her eyes to find Spike nowhere in sight. Immediate worry flooded her body, and she quickly sprang to her feet in search of him. So many scenerios of what _might_ have happened ran through her mind as she left the bedroom and headed towards the living room.

Just as she was about to turn the corner, the front door opened and Spike walked in.

"Where did you go?" she asked, her voice cracking, surprising both herself and him.

"Jus' outside to 'ave a smoke. I didn't want to wake you luv, you looked so peaceful."

"You're _smoking_? Spike, you're barely able to walk, you shouldn't be-..."

He interrupted her. "Buffy, 'm dead, smokin' is not going to hurt me."

"You don't know that. What if... what if you fainted while you were out there, and-..." she started, but stopped as Spike moved towards her, pulling her into his arms. "Don't do it again."

He nodded, kissing the top of her head softly. "I won't, promise."

"You're... you're feeling better then?"

"Bit, yeah. Wha' you did, it helped, even if jus' temporarily."

"Are you hungry?"

He pulled away from her slightly to look her in the eye. "You are _not_-..."

"No, I know... I meant, I could get you something, from the fridge."

Spike sighed. "No pet, 'm fine. C'mon, 's late," he said as he slipped his arm around her waist as they walked back to the bedroom together.

They sat side by side for a few minutes, silently, as they both reflected on what had been happening. Buffy's gaze turned to the window where she could see the sun beginning to rise, had it been one night already?

"Wha' are you thinkin' 'bout?" Spike asked, pulling her out of her daze.

"Just... us," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "_Ten_ years Spike... but it feels like yesterday when I first told you..."

"Tha' you were madly in love with me?"

She looked up at him, frowning. "I did _not_. I barely told you I loved you, and I believe that sentence started with I _hate_ everything about you."

He smirked. "An' look at us now."

She smiled. "_Now_, I am madly in love with you."

"An' I you."

She laughed softly, noticing his expression, she spoke. "I'm remembering... it was funny."

"Wha's tha'?"

"When Dawn first brought David home to visit... and you practically _ate_ him."

"I did not, I was jus'... checkin' his blood type, for future reason," he said.

"And I had to explain to him that you did that to _all_ of her boyfriends... that it was some weird British thing... I'm surprised he bought it."

Spike laughed. "'m not, tha' boy is as dumb as they come."

"He makes Dawn happy, that's all that matters, isn't it?"

Spike hesitated before answering. "Yeah, 'spose."

"Oh, and then there was Connor's first basketball game. You almost ripped the referees head off."

"He deserved it, tha' one... he was evil, 'm tellin' you Slayer. I was jus' doin' my duty as the boy's protecter."

"You almost had him disqualified from the game _and_ suspended for the season."

Spike smirked down at her. "You loved it, 'dmit it."

Buffy glared up at him. "You are so full of yourself."

"_I'm_ full of myself? Tha' comin' from the girl who-..."

When Spike stopped mid-sentence, Buffy immediately stood, knowing something was wrong. There was no way Spike _wouldn't_ finish an insult. She looked him over, he was clutching his head as he groaned in pain. Slowly but efficiently, Buffy used her strength to help him lay back on the bed.

"Spike?"

He didn't answer, his hands were now clenched fists as they pounded against his skull. Buffy, not knowing what else to do, climbed on top of him and tried her best to soothe him, but it was to no avail.

She could feel tears running down her cheeks as she watched helplessly as Spike did his best to handle the pain.

"Spike, stay with me..." she pleaded, rubbing his arm in an attempt at comfort. "You can beat this, you're strong enough, please..."

After a few minutes, the pain appeared to subside. Spike laid motionless underneath her, his eyes open, but his expression blank and his body still.

"Spike?" Finally, he smiled up at her, and she felt her own body collapse against his. "You scared me..."

"'m sorry pet," he apologized, his voice barely a whisper.

"Don't be sorry..." she said. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Sing."

"I don't know if I..."

"Buffy, luv, you 'ave the voice of an angel."

She sighed. She _knew_ she didn't - but could she deny him the only thing he had asked her for? No... if he wanted her to sing, she would sing - for _him_.

Buffy nodded, rolling off of him and onto the bed beside him, pulling him into her, his head on her chest as she began to run her fingers through his now touseled hair.

"_You think you're lost, but you're not lost on your own - you're not alone. I will stand by you, I will help you through, when you've done all you can do, and you can't cope. I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight, I will hold you tight, and I won't let go..._"

~.~.~

**Reviews are lovely :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thank you for the reviews, & all of the tags :) Appreciated!**

~.~.~

Buffy was in the kitchen making herself some tea when she heard the front door open. It was later in the day, and all she had managed to keep down since hearing about Spike was tea - along with the occasional piece of bread. She hadn't even _tried_ to eat anything heavier, knowing that seeing him in the state he was in could cause her stomach to turn at any minute.

Abandoning the kettle, Buffy headed to the entrance way, her hopes rising that it was Willow and Tara, poision antidote in hand.

A smile formed on her face when she saw her redheaded friend. "Did you get it?" she asked, weary.

Willow nodded. "We did, but Buffy, I just want you to remember nothing is certain with-..."

"It doesn't matter Will, we have no other choice. I-I managed to slow it down, but it's only getting worse. _He's_ getting worse, and Willow, I can't-..."

"I'll go get it ready," she interrupted, stopping to give Buffy a reassuring hug before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Thank you," Buffy said, falling into Tara's arm as the tears began to fall. "I-I don't know what I'd do if... and, that's stupid, right? He's... he's still Spike, after all the years together, he-he's still a vampire, but I-... Tara, I couldn't do this, _any_ of this without him..."

Tara gently rubbed her friend's back. "You love him, and he loves you. There's nothing stupid about that. Spike isn't just a vampire Buffy, you and I both know that."

Buffy nodded as she tried to regain some of her composure. "I'm sorry... it's been a rough night... day... I just... it's all mushed together."

"Why don't you go let Spike know we're back? I-I'll help Willow finish up," Tara said with a soft smile as she headed into the kitchen.

Buffy stood still and silent for a few minutes before turning towards the back bedroom. Spike was going to be okay, they had the antidote, and all he had to do was drink it - right? It would work, it _had_ to work. But... what if it didn't? What if, like Willow had said, the effects were different for a vampire? Maybe instead of _curing_ him, it would _kill_ him... sooner.

She shook her head. She couldn't allow herself to think like that, for _his_ sake. She had to stay positive, if he saw doubt in her eyes, he may not take the antidoe - and what if it _did_ cure him?

"No more what ifs," Buffy mumbled before stepping into the room. She looked over at Spike who was lying still on the bed, his eyes closed. She knew better than to think he was sleeping - he was only resting. She watched as his eyes fluttered open. "Hey... they're back."

He managed to smile over at her weakly. "Good."

"You're going to be fine Spike. A few days from now we'll look back and laugh at-... no, no I don't think we'll _ever_ laugh at this. But, it _will_ be a part of our past - just another obstacle to add to our history. Another thing that we overcame _together_," she said, carefully sitting beside him on the bed, taking his hand in hers. "I love you."

"An' I... you..."

"Shh," she soothed, running her free hand through his hair. "Willow will be in here any minute, and we'll get you all fixed up."

She smiled down into his eyes. Despite the obvious pain he was feeling, the warmth in his eyes remained. She sought comfort in that, knowing she wouldn't have been able to pull herself through his sickness _without_ it - and that only made her feel guilty. How could she possibly be worried about _herself_ pulling through? There would be no _her_, not without him.

But, they had made it. Two days, one night - filled with nothing but heartache and sorrow. She couldn't begin to explain how releaved she was to know that it was over... or, to _hope_ it was. There was still no guarantee that Spike's body would react to the antidote in the way they were all hoping - he _could_ reject it.

No, no he _won't_.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Buffy turned her gaze to see Willow standing there with a nervous smile. She slowly made her way over to the couple on the bed, holding out a mug filled with what Buffy could only explain as blue sludge.

"This is it?" she asked, her hand reaching out to take the antidote, and Willow noticed the hesitance in her voice as she held it carefully in front of her.

"This is it. He has to drink it all, and if it works we should know in a few hours. Buffy, I don't know for certain how he'll take it - things might get worse before they get better, I-I'm not sure."

Buffy looked up to her longest friend. "It _can't_ get any worse."

Willow nodded. "I-I'll give you some time alone."

Buffy waited for Willow to leave before setting the mug on the dresser and turning to face Spike. She gently stroked his arm, rousing him from his state of rest. Although she knew he wasn't sleeping, the poision had worked it's way into his system - and whether he wanted to or not, he slipped in and out of consciousness without notice.

His eyes slowly opened, looking up at Buffy with a warm smile. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him gently to a sitting position, resting his back against the wall.

"It's here..."

"Then wha'... are we waitin'... for?" he asked.

Buffy sighed. "For my hands to stop shaking."

He reached out, gently taking her hand in his, holding it for a few seconds, doing his best to calm her nerves. "'s gonna be okay."

She nodded, then took a deep breath and grabbed the mug, bringing it up to his lips. He glanced down at it, noticing the thickness and colour, not to mention odour - rolling his eyes, he parted his lips as she carefully tipped it, allowing the antidote to slowly pour into his mouth.

Buffy watched as he gulped it down. She could see the resistance on his face, but he continued anyway. Knowing Spike, she was sure he had endured much worse than a thick smelling drink. He was so strong, she couldn't help but admire him. Being the Slayer, she was strong herself, but despite that she hadn't always felt it - there were _many_ time where her strength had disappated. But Spike, even in his moments of weakness, still held a power that even she couldn't touch. Maybe it was a vampre thing - but then again, she had never seen in Angel what she saw in Spike.

Once he finished drinking, she set the mug back on the dresser and turned her attention to Spike. He smiled up at her before closing his eyes momentarily.

"Do you notice anything?" He shook his head and she nodded. "Right, time... we have to give it time."

He managed to lift his arm, motioning for Buffy to lay beside him. She carefully crawled over his body, making sure not to hurt him, before settling in beside him, resting her head on his chest as his arm encircled her waist.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off, a silent tear sliding down her cheek.

~.~.~

Spike had wanted to go home immediately after drinking the antidote, but Willow had suggested they stay at least one more night to give time for the effects to kick in – as well as not to scare Connor.

Spike had started to feel more and more like himself throughout the night. It started with him making his normal smart comments, followed by moving on his own, and even regaining his appetite. Buffy couldn't have been more thrilled, or _proud_. He had done it – he had managed to hold his strength long enough to beat the poision – not like she had _ever_ doubted him. She knew he wouldn't give up – because giving up on himself was the same as giving up on _them_.

"I could've lost you," Buffy whispered as they laid side by side on the bed.

"I wasn't goin' 'nywhere luv, you said it yourself."

"Saying it is different from _knowing_ it – very different."

"Maybe, bu' you know it'd take more than some poision in my blood to rid you of me. 'm not leavin' you Buffy, I never would," he said, gently stroking circles along the crook of her back.

"You don't always get a say in it Spike, sometimes... that's just _life_."

"Yea', well 've never been a big rule follower, now 'ave I? I make my own, wha'ever destiny is planned out for me by those bleeding Powers That Be isn't even powerful 'nough to take me from you. I promise you Slayer, 'll _always_ be here." She nodded, and he let out a sigh, knowing that she was still scared. "Wha' can I do to prove it you, huh?"

She turned her head to look up at him and smiled. "Kissing me would be a start."

"There's my girl," he said with a smirk before moving his body to cover hers.


	8. Chapter 9

**AN: Thanks for the reviews :) This is the "last" chapter of the story, however, I'm adding one more chapter as an epilogue, so technically, there is still another one to come! I hope you guys enjoyed the sequel! I know it wasn't all good, & there was some major update flaws, but I had fun! :)**

~.~.~

A few weeks later, Angel arrived in Sunnydale to pick Connor up for his Spring Break trip to LA. His visit had been short, knowing well that if he was to stay much longer the unspoken agreement between himself and Spike would soon end and then, all hell would break loose.

It had been a while since Buffy and Spike had been able to spend alone time together, and they were soaking up every minute of it - two days after Connor had left, the door to the house had yet to be open. Slacking slightly on their "duties", the gang had helped take watch over the city while the couple exhausted themselves by _other_ means.

One night, Spike decided that he needed a break from being in the house - as a vampire he _needed_ to be a part of the darkness, whether he was defying his instincts by killing his own kind didn't matter - he just needed to be _out_ there.

While he was gone, Willow decided to stop by for a visit.

"Can we, uh, talk?" Buffy asked as the two sat on the sofa, endulging in some late night munchies.

"Of course. What's up?"

"I, uh, I think... I mean, I _know_ that I can't... it must be hormones... or, or..."

"Buffy, are you _pregnant_?"

She frowned. "Is that what the two pink lines mean? Because, you know... I heard those things are only _ninety-nine percent _accurate, and look at me - I _am_ the type that fall into that one percent."

Willow smiled softly before closing her eyes momentarily. "You're definitely pregnant... I can sense the baby's energy."

"You what? How? ... _Really_?"

Willow nodded. "Buffy, is this... what you want?"

"I... I don't know. Yes, I mean... maybe? Ugh! Why is it so confusing? Willow, I'm the _Slayer_. I took a risk by raising Connor... actually _carrying_ a baby... and how... Spike's a _vampire_, remember?"

"Is there anyone el-..."

"Of course not!"

"I didn't mean..." Willow said, apologetically.

Buffy sighed. "I know."

"Maybe it's a sign," Willow said and she raised her eyebrow. "Maybe the Powers That Be did this intentionally... maybe they gave you and Spike a..."

"A free pass?"

Willow laughed. "In a sense, yes."

"So, should I... tell _him_?"

~.~.~

She had decided to wait, at least until the next night. There was something about this whole idea that she couldn't understand - _how_ was it possible? Yes, Spike had the Gem of Amara, but that didn't make his ability to reproduce suddenly appear... did it? Or, maybe Willow was right. Maybe the Power That Be did this, maybe they were _supposed_ to have a child together - could it be a prophecy? Buffy had never been a fan of those. Considering they almost always predicted her death, she had tried her best to steer clear.

Whatever it was, no matter how confusing, there was _one_ thing she was sure of - she was already in love. Taking Connor in as a baby hadn't been an easy task - but she had fallen in love with him the minute she laid eyes on him. This, though, was different but the same - without even _seeing_ her baby, without even _touching_ him... or _her_... she felt that.

She didn't know how Spike would take the news, if she was being honest with herself. No doubt he would be just as confused as her, if not _more_. This was something he had given up on, something that wasn't even possible to consider - would he be happy?

There was only one way for her to find out.

They were out on patrol together that night, walking hand in hand through the cemetery as they usually did.

"Spike, we need to talk," she said, stopping near a bench.

"Right now pet?"

"Well, yeah."

"'lright then, wha' is it?"

Buffy sat down, waiting as he followed beside her. "There's no easy way to say this... I don't... I don't know _how_ it happened... and I don't know if you're going to be thrilled, but I... you need to know, because I can't _not_ tell you. But, then I worried what if I told you, and it-..."

"Spit it out Slayer, 'fore you give a vamp a 'eart attack," he said, his jaw tensing as thoughts ran through his mind.

Buffy sighed. "I'm pregnant."

"You're _wha_'?"

"Pregnant..."

"And it's... I mean, you're not..."

"The baby is yours, dumbass," she said with a smile.

"Well, 'xcuse a bloke for askin' - 's not like everyday a vamp finds out he's a father, y'know? How did this 'appen?"

She shrugged. "I'm as lost as you are. Willow thinks that maybe The Powers That Be did it, llike a gift or something..."

"That's a rarity pet, bu' 'ppose 's possible."

"Yeah, well... are you... _happy_?"

Spike smiled. "Buffy, 've never felt 'appier."

"You don't look it," she said, turning her gaze away from his.

He gently reached over, taking her chin in his hand as he brought her eyes back to his. "'s a shock luv, but I am. There is _nothin'_ in this world, or any other, tha' could make me 'appier than wha' I am right now... an' for the rest of my unlike. 'avin' a life with you, a _real_ life, 'as been a dream for me since the day we met... an' knowin' tha' not only will I spend the _rest_ of my time with you, but our children 's well... if someone was to stake me right now, I'd die with a smile on my face."

Buffy couldn't help but smile up at him. "I love you."

"An' I love you."


	9. Epilogue

**AN: Last chap! :) Enjoy & thanks to all my readers/reviewers/suscribers/etc. :) Much appreciated! & no offense is meant to anyone with the names brought up in the future conversation between Spike & Buffy. It's not that I have a personal dislike towards them, it's simply that they were the first to come to mind. :)**

~.~.~

Four months later, and Buffy was five months into her pregnancy. Things had been nothing but amazing since the night in the cemetery when she had told Spike the news - while they still were unsure of just _how_ it had happened, they had seemed to stop caring. All that mattered now was that they were adding another life to their small family.

Everything was perfect.

Lying in bed side by side, Buffy smiled up at Spike as his hand rested on her growing stomach, feeling the movements of the baby inside.

"Tha's bloody amazin'," he said.

She simply nodded before leaning in to kiss him softly. "But we still haven't settled on a name yet Spike... we only have _four_ months left."

"Well, you didn't like my suggestions."

"Azekial? Cute, yes... but not four _our_ baby."

"'s a traditional name."

"Yeah... like one-hundred years ago."

"Wha' can I say? 's my generation," he said with a smirk.

"I like Elijah," she suggested.

"Elijah? C'mon Slayer, I thought you 'ad better taste than tha'," he teased.

"Well, we could always name him Spike Jr," Buffy said with a laugh.

"Funny," he said dryly.

"And we don't even know that the baby is a _boy_," she reminded.

"I always liked the name Jade. Bit more your generation, I believe. 'side, I met this girl once, she-... nevermind."

"Yeah, definitely _not_. How about... Arabella?"

"Don't 'magine our child much of an Arabella," he said.

"You're right... this name this is harder than I thought. Ice-cream break?"

Spike laughed. "Sure thing luv."

They made their way down to the kitchen, where Connor was just walking in from school. Together, they sat down around the island as Spike routinely grabbed the ice-cream from the freezer and began to dish it out.

"Hey you," Buffy said, smiling over at Connor.

"How's the baby?" he asked in return.

"I think I might be growing a Slayer, pretty strong for such a tiny thing," she said, absentmindly running a hand over her belly.

"Well, it's possible isn't it?" he asked. "I mean... you _are_ the Slayer."

"It doesn't really work like that... more so prophetic than genetic."

He nodded. "Find a name yet?"

Buffy sighed. "Don't even go _there_. I'm exhausted just thinking about it again."

Connor laughed lightly. "You'll think of something mom, I'm sure."

"How was school?"

"It was school," he answered.

"Someone's overly talkative today," she said, glancing back at Spike.

"Almost done now, aren't you? Jus' got few weeks left than you're off for the summer," Spike said, and Connor nodded. "'aven't forgotten 'bout our little trip, 'ave you?"

Buffy smiled. "Are you still so sure about that Spike? I mean, you, Xander, Connor... _camping_?"

"'ey now, 've 'ad a fair share of campin' 'xperience in my lifetime," he defended.

"Uh huh," Buffy said, uncertain. "Just don't be calling _my_ phone when you boys can't figure out how to fend for yourselves."

"An' you, my lady, don't be callin' _my_ phone when you can't figure out 'ow to satisfy yourself," he said with a smirk.

"_Really_?" Connor groaned. "You _had_ to go there?"

Buffy laughed. "Feel like going over some sparring techniques?"

"I can't... I can't even _look_ at either of you right now," he said, standing. "I'm just... going to do some homework... or something. Far, far away."

Spike watched with a sly smile as Connor left the kitchen with a look of disgust on his face before turning to Buffy, wrapping his arms around her waist as his head rested ontop of hers. "Never thought we'd get rid of 'im."

"You're cruel, you know that?"

He shrugged. "I try."

"You need to work on that before this baby arrives."

"If I remember correctly, _you_ were comin' to me for baby advice back when Connor was a young'n," he said, gently kissing her cheek. "_An'_ tha' was back 'fore I was even a part of this family."

"It's been ten years, things change - _you_ change. Who knows, maybe you've lost your touch," she teased, turning her head to look up at him.

"Lost my touch, eh Slayer?" he said. "Well now, we're jus' gonna 'ave to see 'bout tha'..."

Buffy felt his lips press against her neck in a soft kiss, trailing down towards her collarbone as he pulled her shirt to the side. His kiss felt so good on her skin, she couldn't deny he hadn't lost his touch in _that_ department.

"No, no... we can't... not _here_," she said, trying her best to pull away from him, although failing miserably. As soon as her skin was away from his touch, she felt herself falling back into him. "Connor could come down... any minute. We can't... Spike, stop..." Reluctantly, he pulled away. She turned, standing from her spot on the stool as her hand took his. "I didn't say we had to stop _completely_. We do have a very private bedroom."

He smirked down at her. "There's my girl."

~.~.~

"So, how do you plan on doing this?" Buffy said into the phone. "We have to share, remember."

There was a deep laugh before Angel's voice came onto the line. "Yes, we'll share. Since I haven't seen him in a few months, I think it's fair that I have him first."

Buffy nodded. "That makes sense."

She had still regreted to inform Angel of her pregnancy, somewhat scared of his reaction. She knew that he had begun to build a new life for himself, so to say. If she was being technical, he was _re_-building his life in LA, with his business, and the love of his life - _her_. Even after six years of working towards accepting the fact that there was another Buffy walking around, and somewhat more importantly - that she was _with_ Angel, it still gave her a funny feeling to think about it.

"When can I pick him up?" he asked, and Buffy cringed. Clearly, there would be no avoiding the obvious once he saw her, maybe it was best to tell him before hand.

"He's done school the end of June, what about the first week of July? That way you can have him for a whole month and a half," she said, then decided to continue before he could answer. "Angel, I need to tell you something... and I don't know if you'll like it."

"What is it? Is something wrong Buffy?"

"Well, no, not technically. Angel, I... I'm pregnant," she said quickly, then sat patiently through the awkward silence, waiting for him to respond. It had taken a few minutes, but eventually, he spoke.

"Pregnant? With... Spike?"

Buffy nodded, but when she realized he couldn't see her, she said, "Yeah... weird, huh?"

Angel laughed, although she didn't hear much humor in it. "Not exactly the word _I_ was thinking of."

"I know, it's crazy, and insane, and makes absolutely _zero_ sense. But, you did have a baby with Darla, I mean - that's _kinda_ similar, right?"

"Sure."

"Don't be all non-talky. I know this isn't something you wanted to hear right now, probably not _ever_ - but it's real, and... I'm happy... _we're_ happy - Connor included."

She could hear him sigh through the phone, and smiled. "No, it's not something I wanted to hear... I can't say I'm thrilled about it Buffy, because... I just _can't_. But, I know that your life is different now, and you've been... understanding of _mine_. I... I'm happy... for _you_. Not _him_... just you."

She laughed softly. "Thank you... that means more to me than you'll ever know. I'll see you in July?"

"July."

"Bye Angel..."

"Goodbye Buffy."

~.~.~

**AN: I'm not overly happy with this chapter, or this ending. I don't know if I may put something up in the future, in order to close it better, so to say. I just didn't want to leave it hanging, I wanted to bring it to some-what of an end. I've lost my mojo for this story! & I feel so bad about it :( It's a good one (not to boast :P ), & I don't want to ruin it by continuing it without the heart for it, so I'm going to leave it :) Hope you've enjoyed! **

**PS: I added the bit with Angel for the sake of "aaawwww", sorry don't know your real name :P & the comment made!, I didn't originally have it in there, so I hope it satisfied :)**


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